What has long been considered to be a foregone conclusion has now been confirmed by multiple outlets. LeBron James has been awarded the league’s Most Valuable Player award for the 2013 season, and will be presented the trophy in a press conference in Miami this Sunday.

The Heat open the second round of the playoffs against either the Bulls or the Nets at home on Monday, when David Stern is expected to be on hand to deliver the trophy to James in front of his home crowd.

James joins an elite group by winning the award for the fourth time. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5), Bill Russell (5) and Wilt Chamberlain (4) have done the same in NBA history.

There have been plenty of years in recent memory where both fans and pundits have had zesty debates over what the MVP award should signify, and who should take it home in any given season. This year was not one of them.

While the names of Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul were mentioned in the MVP conversation at various points throughout the season, you’d have been hard-pressed to find anyone who truly believed it should have gone to anyone but James.

There has never been a unanimous MVP in the history of the NBA, so there’s at least a little suspense to be had in advance of the official release from the league this weekend to see if James can become the first.

James averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.7 steals in 37.9 minutes per game this season. His field goal percentage (56.5) and three-point shooting percentage (40.6) were both career bests.

Should the Heat finish the year by winning their second straight title, James would join an even smaller group of greats. Only Jordan and Russell in league history have won MVP awards and championships in two consecutive seasons.

I don’t remember playing tonight. I didn’t play. Guys get a lot of money to be ready to play. No Knute Rockne speeches. It’s your job. If you’re a plumber and you don’t do your job, you don’t get any work. I don’t think a plumber needs a pep talk. If a doctor botches operations, he’s not a doctor anymore. If you’re a basketball player, you come ready. It’s called maturity. It’s your job.

Like it or not, motivation is part of an NBA coach’s job.

But that’s also precisely what Popovich is doing.

His credentials dwarf any other coach’s. He can play to his own ego and absolve himself of responsibility – and players will seek to please him. His years of success have earned him the ability to motivate this way, a method no other coach could use without alienating his team.

So, why not hold Motiejunas to what became a four-year, $31 million offer sheet once matched? Houston got something in return – a later trigger date on guaranteeing Motiejunas’ 2017-18 salary. Originally, that decision had to be made March 1 – which would’ve meant dropping Motiejunas from the team this season to prevent his salary from counting next season. Now, the Rockets can make that call in July, after this season is complete.

The following two Julys, Houston will also have a choice on guaranteeing Motiejunas’ upcoming salary or dropping him.

Essentially, Motiejunas is signing the most lucrative Hinkie Special in NBA history. If he plays well and stays healthy, the Rockets have Motiejunas at an affordable rate. If he struggles or his back injuries flare up, they can drop him with little to no penalty.

After they backed themselves into this corner, Motiejunas and his agent, B.J. Armstrong, didn’t do so bad. Considering the similarity between this contract and the Nets’ original offer sheet, it seems Houston helped Armstrong save face after a bungled free agency (which is easier to accept when you’re adding a talented reserve to a formidable team).

But for how little is guaranteed and how much control the Rockets hold over the next four years, wouldn’t Motiejunas have been better off accepting the $4,433,683 qualifying offer?

This means Motiejunas can’t sign with the Nets, who signed him to the original offer sheet, for one year.

I bet it also means Motiejunas and Houston have agreed to a new contract. Otherwise, why release him from the offer sheet? The Rockets would be giving up a tremendous amount of leverage out of the goodness of their hearts – unless this is just a prelude to a new deal with Houston.